Imperial War Museum North
* Ranked 66th nationally |publictransit = Harbour City |director = Jim Forrester |curator = |website = north.iwm.org.uk |network = IWM }} Imperial War Museum North (sometimes referred to as IWM North) is a museum in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. One of the five branches of the Imperial War Museum, the museum explores the impact of modern conflicts on people and society. It is the first branch of the Imperial War Museum to be located in the north of England. The museum occupies a site overlooking the Manchester Ship Canal in Trafford Park, an area which during the Second World War was a key industrial centre and consequently heavily bombed during the Manchester Blitz in 1940. The area is now home to the Lowry cultural centre and the MediaCityUK development, which stand opposite the museum at Salford Quays. The museum building was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind and opened in July 2002, receiving 470,000 visitors in its first year of opening. It was recognised with awards or prize nominations for its architecture, but has also been criticised for poor energy efficiency. The museum features a permanent exhibition of chronological and thematic displays, supported by hourly audiovisual presentations which are projected throughout the gallery space. The museum also hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions in a separate gallery. Since opening, the museum has operated a successful volunteer programme, which since January 2007 has been run in partnership with Manchester Museum. As part of a national museum, Imperial War Museum North is financed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and by self-generated income. Admission is free. Planning and construction During the 1990s, the Imperial War Museum sought to open a branch in the north of England. Seventy-one sites were offered for consideration by 36 local councils.Glancey, Jonathan (22 April 2002) The Guardian War and peace and quiet. Accessed 14 April 2010 One such council was that of Hartlepool, in County Durham, for whom a new museum building was designed by architect Sir Norman Foster for a site on Hartlepool's dockside.Glancey, Jonathan (27 July 1994) The Independent Architecture: Renaissance in the North. Accessed 7 October 2009. In 1992 the Teesside Development Corporation offered the museum, on behalf of Hartlepool council, a total of £14.4 million towards construction and running costs.National Audit Office (27 February 2002) The Operation and wind up of Teesside Development Corporation (London: The Stationery Office) p.26. Accessed 6 October 2009. However, the National Audit Office later reported that the Corporation's offer breached government rules and negotiations were abandoned.Hartlepool Mail (27 February 2002) (findarticles.com) TDC cost taxpayers £34m. Accessed 6 October 2009. opposite the museum in Salford, across the Manchester Ship Canal]]In January 1999 the then Culture Secretary Chris Smith launched a project to construct the new museum in Trafford, Greater Manchester.PR Newswire (Press Release) (25 January 1999) Smith hails 'wonderful' War Museum project. Accessed 22 October 2009. The Trafford Park area has strong associations with the Second World War on the British home front; factories in the area produced Avro Lancaster heavy bombers, and Rolls-Royce Merlin aero engines used by a number of Royal Air Force combat aircraft. pp. 103-104 By 1945 the area employed 75,000 people. pp. 130-133 The area was consequently heavily bombed, particularly during the Manchester Blitz, when 684 people were killed in raids over two nights in December 1940.Imperial War Museum North (2009) Manchester Blitz. Accessed 22 October 2009. By the time of Chris Smith's announcement, the museum had already received outline planning permission (in October 1997), with full approval in April 1999.Williams, Austin (19 October 2000) Architects Journal Conflict Resolution. Accessed 6 October 2009. Architecture An architectural competition for the new museum was held in 1997, with the winning design being that of Berlin-based architect Daniel Libeskind. Born in Łódź, Poland, in 1946, Libeskind's family had suffered during the Second World War and dozens of his relatives had died in the Holocaust. At the museum's opening, Libeskind said that he sought to "create a building ... which emotionally moved the soul of the visitor toward a sometimes unexpected realization"'.Forrester, Jim (2004) Manchester Region History Review Vol. 17 No. 1 War & Conflict: New Perspectives in the North. (Manchester: Manchester Metropolitan University). Accessed 9 October 2009. Libeskind envisaged a'' 'constellation composed of three interlocking shards' Libeskind, Daniel; ''Studio Daniel Libeskind Imperial War Museum North. Accessed 7 October 2009. with each shard being a remnant of an imagined globe shattered by conflict. These shards in turn represented air, earth and water, and each formed a functionally distinct part of the museum. The 55m high air shard, provides the museum's entranceway and a viewing balcony above the Manchester Ship Canal with views of the Manchester skyline. The construction of the tower leaves viewers exposed to the elements and one reviewer considered that it reflected "the aerial perspective of modern warfare and the precariousness of the life below". The earth shard houses the museum's exhibition spaces, while the water shard accommodates a cafe with views of the canal. Originally budgeted at £40 million, the museum was eventually completed for £28.5 million after anticipated National Lottery funding was not forthcoming. The museum was funded by local, national and European development agencies. The European Union's European Regional Development Fund contributed £8.9 million, English Partnerships and the North West Development Agency £2.7 million, and £2.8 million was provided by Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council. Peel Holdings, a local transport and property company, contributed £12.5 million; this was reportedly the largest single sum ever given to a UK cultural project by a private enterprise.Vallely, Paul (17 July 2002) The Independent It's grand up North. Accessed 15 October 2009. The reduction in budget forced a number of changes; the substitution of metal for concrete in the construction of the shards, the removal of a planned auditorium, and a change of exhibition content. The site's external landscaping also had to be reduced; in 2009, following an international design competition, Berlin-based company Topotek 1 were appointed to complete this landscaping.George, Sophie (12 June 2009) Architects Journal First Look: Topotek 1 adds to Libeskind's Imperial War Museum North. Accessed 9 October 2009. Despite these economies, the fundamental "shattered globe" concept remained intact.Herbert, Ian (9 October 2000)The Independent The museum that was bowed - but not broken - by the lottery. Accessed 7 October 2009. A final £3 million was raised by a fundraising campaign led by BBC News war correspondent Kate Adie. Construction of the museum, by structural engineers Arup and main contractor Sir Robert McAlpine, began on 5 January 2000 and the building was topped out in late September that year. Exhibition fitting started in November 2001, and the museum opened to the public on 5 July 2002, shortly before the 2002 Commonwealth Games which were hosted in Manchester that year. Exhibitions left|thumb|A [[Soviet Union|Soviet T-34 tank on display in the museum's main exhibition space]]Permanent exhibitions are housed in the museum's first floor main gallery space within the earth shard. These consist of a chronological display which runs around the gallery's perimeter and six thematic displays in "silos" within the space. As part of the earth shard, the floor of the gallery is curved, gradually dropping away like the curvature of the Earth from a nominal "North Pole" near the gallery's entrance.Architects Journal (14 August 2003) Case study: A striking, sculptural landmark building on the waterfront.... Accessed 9 October 2009. Within this hall, described as cavernous and dramatic,Herbert, Ian (3 July 2002) The Independent Libeskind's war museum triumphs over cost-cutters. Accessed 9 October 2009.Hughes, Matthew (Winter 2002) Institute of Historical Research: History in Focus The Imperial War Museum (North): The Triumph of Style over Substance?. Accessed 9 October 2009. a number of large artefacts are displayed; they include a Russian T-34 tank, a United States Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jet and an 13-pounder field gun which fired the British Army's first shot of the First World War. Around the gallery, a number of vertical mechanical conveyors called "timestacks" display selections of smaller artefacts, some of which can be handled by visitors.Martin, David 'Full metal jacket: Imperial War Museum North' Museum Practice No.21, December 2002, pp.24-29Imperial War Museum North (2009) IWM North Floorplan. Accessed 16 October 2009. In addition to the physical exhibits, the walls of the gallery space are used as screens for the projection of hourly audiovisual presentations called the Big Picture, which explore themes related to modern conflict. These presentations use up to 1,500 images from the Imperial War Museum's photograph archive projected from 60 synchronised slide projectors mounted throughout the space. The images are complemented by personal accounts from the museum's oral history sound archive. The Big Picture was devised after the reduction in the museum's budget forced the scrapping of the previous exhibition plan by designers DEGW and Amalgam.Architects Journal (28 January 1999) Libeskind's war museum to go ahead - but at a cost.. Accessed 12 October 2009. Also within the earth shard, a separate gallery accommodates a programme of temporary exhibitions. These have included the Witness series of art exhibitions from the museum's collection, examining First and Second World War art, and the work of female war artists.Moss, Richard (14 February 2006) Culture24.org.uk Witness: Art Of The First World War At IWM North. Accessed 12 October 2009.Kershaw, Alice (2 February 2007) Culture24.org.uk Witness 2 - The Art Of WWII At Imperial War Museum North. Accessed 12 October 2009.Culture24.org.uk (11 February 2009) Witness: Women War Artists At IWM North. Accessed 12 October 2009. The WaterWay, a passageway linking the earth and water shards, is used for smaller art or photographic exhibitions, such as Ghislaine Howard's photojournalism-inspired painting series 365.Bambury, Adam (27 February 2009) Culture24.org.uk Interview: Ghislaine Howard discusses 365 at Imperial War Museum North. Accessed 15 October 2009. Outside the museum building, an ex-Iraqi Army T-55 tank was put on display at the main entrance in August 2008. This vehicle was captured by the Royal Engineers during the opening stages of the Iraq War in 2003.Fleming, Grace (26 August 2008) Manchester Evening News Iraq tank rolls into museum. Accessed 13 October 2009. The spot had previously been occupied by an Iraqi ZSU-23-4 Shilka anti-aircraft gun. Captured by the Royal Artillery after the 1991 Gulf War (First), it was moved from Imperial War Museum Duxford and displayed to mark the museum's fifth anniversary in July 2007.Rusby, Jake (5 July 2007) Manchester Evening News Museum's birthday 'invasion'. Accessed 25 November 2009. Military vehicles A number of Military vehicles and related exhibits and material are on display as part of the overall narrative relating to conflict and war covered by the museums exhibits policy. Public reception The museum enjoyed a successful first year, with an initial target of 300,000 visitors surpassed after six months,Scheerhout, John (January 9, 2003) Manchester Evening News 300,000 answer museum call-up. Accessed 6 october 2009. with over 100,000 visitors in the first six weeks;Ward, David (13 August 2003) The Guardian Museum opens brightly on back of games success. Accessed 6 October 2009. by the museum's first anniversary on 5 July 2003 some 470,000 visitors had been received.Imperial War Museum Account 2003-2004 (20 May 2005) official-documents.gov.uk (London: The Stationery Office). Accessed 6 October 2009. The museum won the Building Award in the 2003 British Construction Industry Awards,British Construction Industry Awards Winners 2003. Accessed 9 October 2009. and was shortlisted for the 2004 Stirling Prize.Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize 2004. Accessed 9 October 2009. The museum received a largely positive critical reception, with reviewers remarking on the metaphorical power of the building, the complementary effects of the museum's main exhibition with its internal architecture, and the economy with which the museum was built.Worsley, Giles (29 June 2002) The Daily Telegraph A globe ripped to pieces. Accessed 9 October 2009.Newsnight Review (transcript) (12 July 2002) BBC News. Accessed 9 October 2009. In August 2005 Imperial War Museum North received its millionth visitor.Moss, Richard (18 August 2005) Culture24.org.uk IWM North Welcomes Its Millionth Visitor. Accessed 13 October 2009. The museum was, however, criticised in 2008 by The Guardian for poor energy efficiency, as part of a report into the carbon dioxide emissions of UK public buildings.Booth, Robert (2 October 2008) The Guardian Halls of shame: biggest CO2 offenders unveiled. Accessed 10 October 2009. Volunteer programme Supporting Imperial War Museum North's educational goals, the museum has operated a volunteer programme since opening in 2002. The programme seeks to engage local people at risk of social exclusion. Originally based on a National Vocational Qualification, the programme was revised and relaunched in 2004, and consisted of a basic cultural heritage course, providing opportunities to develop academic skills and improve confidence, and to support individuals seeking to return to employment.Northwest Development Agency (25 May 2005) Imperial War Museum North awarded for Volunteers Programme. Accessed 14 October 2009. In return volunteers work in the museum's public spaces as part of the front of house teams. In January 2007 the museum launched the In Touch volunteer programme, in partnership with Manchester Museum and supported by £425,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.Manchester Museum/Imperial War Museum North (July 2009) In Touch volunteer programme: Volunteering and training at the Manchester Museum and Imperial War Museum North p.4. Accessed 14 October 2009. The programme was recognised by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as a case study of its kind, in the department's Third Sector Strategy.Department for Culture, Media and Sport (April 2009) DCMS: Third Sector Strategy p.27. Accessed 14 October 2009. References / sources External links * north.iwm.org.uk - Imperial War Museum North * iwm.org.uk - Imperial War Museum Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2002 Category:Military museums in England Category:Museums in Greater Manchester Category:Museums sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Category:Museums founded in 2002